


Lactobacillus

by lickity



Category: THE iDOLM@STER
Genre: Idols, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-11-15 21:21:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18081125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lickity/pseuds/lickity
Summary: Kaoru discovers himself with the help of a lil' magick.





	Lactobacillus

**I**

“I’m sorry, Kashiwagi. I’ve never been able to share this with anyone.”

“It’s fine, Kaoru-san. You don’t have to continue if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“Thank you. I didn’t want to make it awkward, but…”

“No, it’s OK, it’s OK. It’s fine.”

Tsubasa closed in for one final hug before they headed into the restaurant. Kaoru sneaked in a smile.

Trayons: the hip new thing, partly because the name was so francais, and partly because it deserved it. The meat, so tender and well-marbled it didn’t need to be beaten, was always draped in the creamiest and dreamiest sauces or left, with perfect fists of salt of spice, to speak for itself. The wine list had fingers in every pot, no matter how obscure—it pays off. Rich but refreshing desserts always lingered deep in people’s throats. And when all the plates were cleared, no one ever choked on the bill. How unfortunate the two’s night out had soured from the start.

Not helping was that Tsubasa was a lightweight: 3 glasses of Zinfandel and he keeled over onto the tablecloth right as the passion fruit creme brulee came out. Alas. Romantic dinners never suited Kaoru anyway: he preferred the quiet company of a man (or woman) in the sheets, not the seats.

“This is unexpected.”

Tsubasa’s gentle character and kind face belied his aggressively sharp pecs and abs. His gluttony was fuel, not just fun. The perfect figure for Kaoru’s purposes.

“Could you… be the cure?”

**II**

The next morning, the wheels started turning.

“Kashiwagi, I have a favor to ask: could you help me continue my research?”

“Kaoru-san, as much as I want to, I don’t know anything about health. And we should focus o—”

“Then you can be a test subject.”

“Eh?”

“Blood. I need your blood.”

“B-blood?”

“I need blood donors with sufficient concentrations of a unique antibody. My research can’t continue without it… and patients like my sister may never enjoy their full lives.”

“T-this is still too sudden. Didn’t you quit medicine already? Have you told Teru?”

“I can’t quit. Whenever I think of my sister, I...” He clutched the dolphin necklace.

“O-OK! I’ll help!”

“Good boy.” He said, looking down upon his new acquisition.

**III**

Every week, he donated a small vial of blood. This continued until the doctor shoot, when they agreed it might strain his body too much.

“Kaoru-san, you really fit the look.”

“Naturally, considering I’ve worn something similar countless times.”

“Please get in position!”

Tsubasa, the on-edge patient, and Kaoru, the kindly village doctor: per the script, this was a brief procedure with just enough skin-on-skin to tease.

“It will be over quickly,” said Kaoru, wiping down the site of the injection with alcohol. “This is just penicillin to prevent further infection.”

“...All right.”

“Thank you for your cooperation,” said Kaoru. The syringe pierced the skin.

“Wai—!”

“Just a little more. Hang in there.” Kaoru gave a smile, but never looked up.

Improv?

The syringe went in deeper; he began injecting. Most of the solution, plain tap water, dribbled down Tsubasa’s arm. He pulled out and quickly covered the injection in cotton.

Having worked together so long, they didn’t need an extra take. Production wrapped up, and within an hour everyone was heading home.

“Kashiwagi, are you OK? You seem tired.”

“I got in some sleep. Don’t worry about me. I should be fine…”

**IV**

He drifted away in the cab. When he came to, he recognized a very familiar place: Kaoru’s apartment.

“Kaoru? Why am I here? Didn’t he drop me off first?”

“You passed out, remember?”

Tsubasa tried to get up, but he was still stumbling. Was he drowsy? He tried focusing his sight and looked down.

Rope?

“This was your one flaw, Kashiwagi. You are too kind, too trusting, too willing to do good. For our unit, for Teru, for Producer, and, most importantly, for me. Maybe that’s what drew me in the first place.”

He ran his chilly, willowy hand along Tsubasa’s face, getting more and more excited as he smoothed over any roughness, exploring the bumps and scars, before yanking the confused man up by the chin.

“You really were the perfect specimen, onii-san.”

“So was this all…”

“A lie? No,” said Kaoru, as he crushed the blood vials. “I really did want your blood. But what could I do with tainted samples? It’s unethical to take someone’s blood under duress.”

He giggled as the blood dripped to the floor.

“Now we’ll be together forever; this cocktail of deceit, our essence, our child, is irreversibly combined.”

“Why? I just wanted to help you...” he started crying.

“I know. You’ve been a great help. You’ve been the cure to my curiosity. But now is the time to answer the final question.”

“Eh?”

Kaoru wiped the tears from Kashiwagi’s cloudy eyes. Now the bound man could see, unmistakably, Kaoru’s dilated heart pupils.

“Anag—”

“Anagenesis only reveals. Do you know how long I’ve been holding it in, Kashiwagi?”

“Kaoru…”

“To be honest, I’ve always believed living in ignorance is worse than death in the know.

So, one last time, I want to entrust you with a dilemma: mommy’s milk provides vital nutrients for a thirsty baby... What about daddy’s?”

“NO!”

“Itadakimasu, Tsubasa.”

Blep. Blep. Blep.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. I was bored. This has not gone through a rigorous editing process. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> 3\. Anagenesis is Belial's (from GBF) signature skill.  
> 4\. Google "trayons."


End file.
